Steering mechanism



c. JOHNSION AND F. G. MEYER.

STEERING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED JULY 8.1921.

-1,415,095. Patented May9,192 2.

.Carle: h'

Fred 6:1?? 54 I entree stares earner I or l-nee.

CHARLES aonnsoit'or ni'ennann PAR-K, AND rnnn e. MEYER, ornnrnom,

MICHIGAN.

s'rnnnine MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 8, 1921. Serial No. 483,196.

States, residing, respectively, at Highland Parkand Detroit, 'M1chigan, have invented a new and useful Steering Mechanism, of which the followmg is a specification.

This invention relates to steering mechanism, and more particularly to motor vehi- .cle steering mechamsms.

It is the object of the'invention toprovidefor transmission of control movement from the steering wheel (or'equivalent part) of a vehicle to the steering traction wheels in such manner as will prevent a reversed trans mission of movement resulting from shocks or jars encountered by said traction wheels, and thus render a safe and positive control for directing the course of the vehicle.

In attaining this object the invention contemplates actuating the steering shaft through rotation of a screw and the resultant shifting of a nut thereon having angular sliding engagement with fixed and movable members through which rotative movement is imparted to said shaft. The pitch of the screw-threads prohibit any reverse trans mission of effort.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein,

Fig. 1 is an axial sectional l'view of the steering column of a motor vehicle, showing the improved mechanism. Y

Fig. 2 is a transverse section, showing in elevation the inner parts.

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken upon line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In these views thereference character 1 designates the steering. shaft of a motor vehicle, and 2 the usual non-rotative tubular column through which said shaft is extended. The lower extremity of the shaft 1 carries the usual steeri crank 3, and'the upper k end of the tubular member 2 is enlarged, as

is common, to form the lower or base portion a of a cylindrical casing, the upper part or cap 5 of which is screw-threaded upon said base portion. llotatively mounted with the lower portion of the casing 4, 5,

is a disk-shaped head 6 formed integrally upon the upper end of the shaft 1, and

n the head 6 is seated a cup-shaped member 7 having driving connection with said head through one or more vertical pins 8 interengaging the parts. An invertedlcupshaped member 9 and a sleeve 10 are respectively arranged concentrically interiorlyand exteriorly of the member 7, and abutting above said member, asindicated at 11, are rigidly connected by a plurality of radial pins12. The outer sleeve 10 has a plurality of radially projecting flanged sections 13 at its lower end adapted to seat upon the rim'of the base portion 4: of .the casing, and also has a plurality of spaced downwardly extending gear toothed sections 14 which Patented a a, 1922.

mesh and interlock with the teeth of an internal gear ring 15 formed in the upper wall of the base member 4. In the steering mechanism of the well known Ford car, the teeth 15 are originally provided .as a stationary annular gear, and it is one of the objects of the invention to replace theoriginally furnished steering mechanism of such a car by an irreversible type of mechanism so as to utilize the gearing as a means for conveniently securing certain of the parts against rotation. Thus the sleeve 10 is held stationary by the interlocking of its toothed extensions 14- 'with the gear teeth 15, and the rigid connection of said sleeve to cup-shaped member 9 also maintains the latter stationengaged by the steering-wheel 17 and the inner end of the stem being reduced as indicated at 18 is ournaled 1n the head 6' and the ad acent end portion of the shaft 1. Intermediately the stem 16 is screw-threaded as 7 indicated at 19 and engages a nut 20 from which a pair of diametrically opposed trunnions or pins 21 project. Each of saidpins engages in a pair of oppositely inclined spiral'ways 22 and 23 respectively formed in the stationary cups 9 and in the movable cup member 7.

Inthe operation of the described invention, when the steering wheel 17 is turned, in either direction, the screw-threaded stem 16 is correspondingly rotatively actuated. This tends to feed the nut 20 longitudinally of the screw-threaded stem 16 and said nut will be compelled to undergo a limited rotative movement while feeding longitudinally of said stem, owing to the slidable engagement of the pins 21 in the spiral ways 22 of the stationary cup member 9. The rotative component of the movement of the nut acts through the outer ends of the pins 21 the pitch of the screw-threads and the inclination of the spiral ways will not permit the'nut 20 to move longitudinally to compel rotation of the stem 16 and wheel 17.

It'willxbe readily seen that the invention renders the controlling wheel of a motor vehicle (or the like) unresponsive to shocks and jars encountered by the steering traction wheels, (or othercontrolled part) and thus materially decreases the muscular strain involved in driving. Furthermore, the construction is one that may be readily employed in replacement of the original steer ing mechanism adjacent the controlling wheel of a car of the Well known Ford type.

What we. claim is:

1; Ina steering mechanism, the combination with a steerin shaft,-of a screw-threaded actuating member for said shaft, a nut engaging the threads of said actuating member, a hollowmember carried by said shaft and enclosingsaid screw, means compelling a limited rotation of said nut, as it is longitudinally shifted by rotation of said actuating member, and means rotativelydriving sa1d hollow member from the nut. v

2.. Ina steering mechanism, the combination with a steering'shaft, of ascrew-threaded actuating member for said shaft, a nut engaging the threads of said actuating memher, a pin projecting from the nut, a spirally Slotted stationary member, the slot of which is engaged by said pin to compel a limited rotation of-the nut, as the same'i's longi tudinally shifted by rotation of said actuat- The ing member, and a driving element for said shaft having a spiral slot engagedby said engaging the threads of said actuating member, a pin projecting from the nut, 'a stationary member formed with a spiral way engaged by said pin to compel a limited rotation of the nut, when longitudinally shifted through rotation of said actuating memher, a member formed with an oppositely in clined spiral way, carried by said shaft, and V a second pin carried by said nut engaging in the last mentioned spiral way, whereby rotation of the nut is compelled by the stat onary pins and rotative member to said shaft.

4. In a steering mechanism, the combination'with a steering shaft, of a screw-threaded actuating member for said shaft, a nut engaging the threads of said actuating memher, a projection from said nut, and a pair of members respectively stationary and carried by the steering shaft, formed with op-. positely inclined spiral ways engaged by said oppositely inclined spiral slots engaged by said pins, said members being respectively stationary and fast upon said shaft,wh'ereby longitudinal travel of thenut responsive to rotation of the screw compels rotation of the hollow member carried by the shaft and such rotation is further compelled by the rotative actuation of the nut.

cation.

CHARLES Jornvs oiv rnnn s. MEYER.

In testimony whereof we sign this specifimember, and is communicated through the 

